Grudges

I came across a website a couple of weeks ago that invites writers to recount a story of a song that has been permanently ruined by melding it to an unsavory event.

Obviously, many of the tales were of a couple's "song" that no longer was after a breakup. I think we all have those songs that remind us of a past girl/boy friend. They're rather ubiquitous so I won't tell that story here.

My song is "I Can't Stand Losing You" by the Police. Yes, I know it's about a suicidal and heartbroken maniac. But is has nothing to do with that.

My last year in high school, we played a basketball game against St. Stephens, a private school in Austin, as part of a Christmas vacation tournament. We should have won the game, but lost in the last couple of seconds. Losing cost us a chance to play in the championship game.

Giving away the gist of the story, I can't stand losing. Even more than that, I can't stand losing to somebody of lesser talent.

Particularly at that age, I couldn't stand being around people who didn't take losses as hard as I did. They tore me up inside, just ate my guts out. If a loss didn't do that to you, I didn't want you on my team. How can you laugh and joke after getting your backside handed to you?

The girl I was dating at the time was a freshman in college. She was in town and her roommate was visiting. She had arranged a double-date with us, her roommate, and another player on the team. Said teammate was excited all day long about having a date with a college girl that would inevitably end up with a makeout session.

Anyway, this guy and I drove back to his house after the game to wait for the girls. I was still disgusted about losing the game; my night was ruined. He, on the other hand, had better things to think about once the fourth-quarter buzzer sounded. Losing was not a big deal to him.

As we drove back, he popped in his Police tape and that song came on. I remember him blabbing on about "hot college chicks" and "scoring bigtime". Whatever. I wish the American Pie series had come out and I could remind him he doesn't score until he scores.

Anyway, I mainly remember my rage rapidly increasing every time I heard the repeated lyrics "I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing."

I think about that dang game every time I hear that song.

As a post-script, I was watching Colbert the other night. He interviewed a congressional candidate from New Jersey's 3rd after the incumbent refused to take part of Colbert's 434 part series "'Better Know A District". The incumbent apparently lists on his campaign literature he attended a private school within the district and still holds several scoring records from high school. Which prompted Colbert to jokingly announce that the school has placed a sign in its courtyard reading "Let it Go".

Maybe I should, as well.